Why am I a "special" case?

[Sefra22]

I got a call from my ENT's office today saying they need to move my surgery up from April 29th to the 22nd. The reason, I am told is because a representative from the BAHA company has to fly in from across the country (Colorado to Maine) with special equipment for me that the hospital does not have on hand. I asked if I needed special equipment because of the AN and she replied "Yes, they need to bring some Gamma Knife equipment". 

I was treated with GK 2 years ago. I don't understand why this would make my surgery any different than any other. I was so concerned about the date change (really inconvenient), that I didn't ask for more details. She is going to call me back on Monday, but this is going to nag at me all weekend.

Any ideas as to why?

Lisa

[leapyrtwins]

Lisa -

GK equipment doesn't make any sense to me.  Are you sure the equipment in question isn't a specialized high-speed drill?

The only reason I ask is because although my neurotologist has done lots and lots of BAHA implants, my surgery was the first (and possibly the only) one he ever performed at the hospital where I had mine done.  As a result, the drill he needed had to be loaned to the hospital by Cochlear America.  The hospital he normally does BAHA surgeries at rents their drill from Cochlear.

Obviously no drill equals no surgery; but GK equipment?

I'm curious to see if this is correct - and if so what the reasoning is.

Please let us know.

Jan

[sgerrard]

No idea how GK could be involved. I think the person on the phone was making it up, in hopes that it sounded good. If so, they failed.

It seems far more likely that they need a special BAHA drill, as Jan described. Hope you can work out the date okay.

Steve

[Sefra22]

Thanks Guys,
Your responses make more sense than the things that have been going through my brain since that call!
I have read that they use Gamma technology to sterilize surgical equipment...maybe that's what she meant?
Lisa

[Jim Scott]

Lisa ~

I'm as befuddled as you and everyone else about the alleged need for Gamma Knife equipment to perform your implant surgery.  I would suggest calling the ENT's office and ask to speak with the doctor, then, ask him.   The secretary, nurse or whomever you spoke to probably doesn't really know why the BAHA representative is coming early, but the doctor will.  FWIW, I agree with the consensus that it's very likely to supply the proper drill for the procedure.   

Jim

[Sefra22]

I called the office today and got it all straightened out. Apparently, the hospital I am going to doesn't do many of these procedures, so they have to have the equipment brought in. My doctor is the only one in Maine trained for this surgery, and he just moved here last fall.

As for the Gamma knife materials, the assistant said they use it for "grafting" but even she said she knows little about the technical side of the surgery. She assured me that he has done many BAHA surgeries, and I am in good hands.

I feel a lot better now.

Lisa

[Sue]

Well, this is perplexing and I'll be curious to know about the "GK equipment"  This seems very strange to me, but then.....Gamma Knife is housed in a huge machine.  It's cobalt radiation.  Do you think she meant laser?  As if THAT would clear anything up.

Really curious about this one! 

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Sefra22]

Hi Sue,
She DID say he "loves to work with lasers" so maybe that's it. Asl long as it's not a lightsaber, I can deal with it
Lisa

[lori67]

Lisa,

Maybe a lightsabre would be even better than a drill! May the force be with you!   

I don't think I'd be too worried - after all, you want to make sure they have all the right tools to do the job and at least they thought about it in advance and didn't wait until you were draped and ready to be worked on before they said "Ok, did anyone order the drill?".

Lori

[leapyrtwins]

Lisa -

you'd be amazed how many medical professionals don't know what a BAHA even is - but then again, most have no reason to know.

As I mentioned before, the hospital my doc did my surgery at wasn't his "usual hospital" - so I was a first there.  I had almost every nurse in the OR outpatient holding area coming over to my little cubicle asking me what BAHA surgery was and why I was having it.  I was a celebrity of sorts     There was one nurse who told me she read all about the procedure the night before on the internet because she'd seen it on the schedule and had no idea what it was.  I thought it showed a lot of initiative on her part and I even wrote the director of the outpatient surgical area and told her so.

In the OR my doc spent some time explaining to the nurses what he was doing, which I thought was kind of cool.  I felt great that I could be a "hands on" learning exhibit for others.

Sounds like you'll be charting new territory too 

Jan

[Jim Scott]

I feel a lot better now.

Lisa ~

Well, I'm glad that was finally settled. You had us going there for awhile. 

Jim